Winch construction



March 27, 1934. Q -n55 WINCH CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 1929 INVEN TOR. Char/avg 660 123.: BY

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Iii/IA I ILLS-713 i) '4 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE WINCH CONSTRUCTION Charles B. Curtiss, Bay City, Mich.

Application November 22, 1929, Serial No. 409,109 Claims. (01. 254-487) This invention relates to improvements in winch construction.

One object of the invention is to design a Winch having pressed sheet steel end frames, eliminating the usual ferrous castin s which are subject to flaws and unknown factors of safety caused by said flaws and casting strains.

Another object is to design a flanged steel drum, provided with bearings which extend beyond the end of the drum proper, and which are supported directly in the pressed steel end frames so that there will be no tendency to bend the main shaft, the pull and strains being taken on the drum itself.

. A further object is to provide means forengaging and disengaging the worm wheel hub with the drum, thereby transmitting all torque directly from the Worm wheel center to said drum,

- eliminating the usual keys and the possibility of paratively light and hollow, to act as an oil reservoir into which lubricant may be introduced for lubrication of the bushings which hold the shaft in position.

The above and other objects will appear as the specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved winch.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a part sectional detail view of the drum.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary part sectional side view showing the toothed ends of the drum, Worm wheel center, shaft and clutch.

Fig. 6 is an end View thereof.

Fig. 7 is an end view of one of the pressed steel end frames.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional edge view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the frame.

Inasmuch as this invention is directed to improvements in winch construction, it is deemed unnecessary to describe the operation thereof, the explanatory matter being confined to the construction of the various parts.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates spaced apart longitudinally extending angles to which a pair of pressed steel end frames 6 are secured, each end frame comprising a pair of plates 7 and 8 respectively secured together in facial contact by means of rivets or the like, the side, bottom, and top edges being turned to form flanges 9, the corners being welded together, the upper end being cut away as shown at 10, and the edges are also flanged in a similar manner, a plate 11 being welded to the face of the flanges to accommodate the spherical bearing 12 which is mounted therein.

Openings 13 are provided in the plates as shown, the edges being pressed outwardly to reinforce the frame, and to also accommodate the necessary shafts which project therethrough.

A longitudinally disposed main shaft 14 is provided in the usual manner, and a plug 15 is driven in one end forming a closure therefor, a nigger head 16 being secured on said plugged end by means of the pin 17, and bushings 18 are mounted on the shaft in spaced apart relation, felt washers 19 being provided on the shaft to form an effective oil seal. The drum is made entirely of flanged steel being mounted on the bushings 18, and comprises a center section of standard or extra heavy pipe 26, flanged out at the ends as shown at 21, these flanged ends being securely riveted to forged drum ends 22 and 23 respectively. A forged steel brake drum 24 is secured to one of the drum ends so that the brake band, (not shown), may be applied thereto, the forged drum ends being turned as at 25 for mounting in the bearings 12, and the end of the member 23 is also toothed as shown at 26, and for a purpose to be presently described.

A Worm case assembly is overhung on the shaft directly adjacent the toothed portion of the drum end, and comprises a worm wheel hub 27 secured on the drum shaft by means of a pin 28, a. worm wheel 29 being securely mounted on said hub, meshing with and being driven by a worm, (not shown) in the usual manner, and it will be clearly obvious that this worm case merely houses the worm and worm wheel and is therefore not subjected to the heavy pull of the rope on the drum as is usual in the conventional construction.

The inner end of this worm wheel hub is toothed similar to the adjacent end of the drum end, and an internally toothed ring 30 is mounted on the toothed end of the drum end, said ring being provided with a groove 31 to accommodate a collar, (not shown), so that the ring may be shifted over the toothed drum end when disengaged, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, or shifted over so that it is in engagement with both the drum end and the worm wheel hub when engaged, as indicated by the dotted lines in'Fig. 5, thus carrying all torque directly from the worm wheel hub to the drum without any possibility of rolling keys, as well as eliminating any torsion or bending of the winch shaft.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have perfected a very substantial, economical, and practical winch in which the cast end frames and cast drum have been eliminated, in which all torque is transmitted to the drum, and in which the drum unit is mounted directly in the pressed steel end frames, eliminating any torsion or bending of the winch shaft.

What I claim is:

1. A winch mechanism including a base, a main hollow shaft, spaced apart end frame members mounted on said base, a unitary drum structure including outwardly projecting drum ends journaled on said end frames, and through which the hollow shaft extends, a worm wheel hub mounted on said hollow shaft, and shiftable means for selectively engaging or disengaging said worm wheel hub with said drum structure.

2. A winch mechanism including a base, a main shaft, pressed steel end frame members mounted on said base, a unitary drum structure comprising a pipe, drum ends rigidly secured thereto and adapted to be journaled in said frame members, and through which the main shaft extends, a worm wheel hub mounted on the main shaft, and shiftable means for locking the drum structure in engagement with said worm wheel hub.

3. A winch mechanism including a base, end frame members mounted thereon in spaced apart relation, a unitary drum structure including a pipe, drum ends rigidly secured thereto and journaled on said end frames, a main shaft projecting through said drum structure, a worm wheel hub mounted on the shaft, teeth on one end of the drum structure and the worm wheel hub respectively, and shiftable means for engaging the drum structure with said worm wheel hub.

4. A winch mechanism including a base, pressed steel end frame members mounted thereon in spaced apart relation, a unitary drum structure including a pipe, drum ends rigidly secured thereto and journaled on the end frames, a main hollow shaft mounted in the drum structure, a worm wheel hub mounted on said shaft, teeth on the end of said hub and drum structure respectively, and shiftable means for selectively engaging or disengaging the drum structure with the worm wheel hub.

5. A winch mechanism including a base, load supporting end frames mounted thereon, a unitary drum structure provided with outwardly projecting journals adapted to be journaled in said end frames, a co-axial overhung non-load supporting worm case having a worm and worm wheel therein, means supporting said worm wheel in axial alignment with said drum structure, and a clutch for connecting or disconnecting the drum structure with said worm wheel.

6. A winch mechanism including a base, end frames mounted thereon, a unitary drum structure formed of commercial steel pipe having flanged ends and provided with outwardly projecting journals mounted on said frames, a main shaft, a co-axial overhung gear case and gear assembly mounted on said shaft adjacent to said drum structure, and shiftable means for engaging and disengaging said gear assembly with said drum structure.

7. A winch mechanism including a support, pressed steel end frames mounted thereon, a unitary drum structure provided with outwardly projecting journals mounted on said frames, a main shaft mounted in said journals, and a co-axial overhung worm case mounted on said shaft, a worm wheel assembly, and shiftable means for engaging said drum structure and worm wheel assembly.

8. A winch mechanism including a base, end frames mounted on said base, each frame comprising a pair of pressed steel end plates secured together in facial contact, a bearing mounted on each end frame and in which a drum structure is journaled, a main shaft mounted in said bearings, a co-axial overhung worm case mounted on said shaft directly adjacent said drum; a worm wheel on said shaft, and means for engaging and disengaging said drum and worm wheel.

9. A winch mechanism including a main shaft, a unitary drum structure, a base, spaced apart end frames mounted on said base, each frame comprising a pair of outwardly flanged end plates secured together in facial contact, a plate welded to the upper end of each frame, a bearing mounted therein and in which the drum structure is journaled, a co-ai rial overhung non-load supporting worm case adjacent the drum structure, a worm wheel on the main shaft, and shiftable means for connecting said worm wheel and drum.

10. A winch mechanism including a main hollow shaft, a unitary drum structure provided with outwardly projecting journals, a base, spaced apart end frames mounted on said base, each frame comprising a pair of outwardly flanged steel plates secured together in facial contact, bearings mounted in said frames and in which the drum structure is journaled, a co-axial overhung non-load supporting worm case adjacent the drum structure, a worm wheel mounted on the main shaft, and a clutch for connecting said worm wheel and drum.

CHARLES B. CURTISS. 

